Tuesday, 26 February 2019

When did Homo sapiens first reach Southeast Asia and Sahul?

An interesting article When did Homo sapiens first reach Southeast Asia and Sahul? by James O'Connell et al appeared the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America (PNAS) of May 2018. The Abstact follows -

Anatomically modern humans (Homo sapiens, AMH) began spreading across Eurasia from Africa and adjacent Southwest Asia about 50,000–55,000 years ago (ca. 50–55 ka). Some have argued that human genetic, fossil, and archaeological data indicate one or more prior dispersals, possibly as early as 120 ka. A recently reported age estimate of 65 ka for Madjedbebe, an archaeological site in northern Sahul (Pleistocene Australia–New Guinea), if correct, offers what might be the strongest support yet presented for a pre–55-ka African AMH exodus. We review evidence for AMH arrival on an arc spanning South China through Sahul and then evaluate data from Madjedbebe.We find that an age estimate of >50 ka for this site is unlikely to be valid. While AMH may have moved far beyond Africa well before 50–55 ka, data from the region of interest offered in support of this idea are not compelling.

The full article appears here.

65000 Years of Isolation in Aboriginal Australia or Continuity and External Contacts

An interesting article titled 65000 Years of Isolation in Aboriginal Australia or Continuity and External Contacts by Michael J. Rowland appeared in the Journal of the Anthropological Society of South Australia of· December 2018. The Abstract follows -

Recent dating of archaeological sites across northern Australia suggest that
Aboriginal Australians may have arrived on the continent by 65,000 years ago or
earlier though other general reviews propose a more conservative arrival date of
around 50,000 years. Regardless of when they actually arrived, the people of the
late Pleistocene landmass of Sahul (mainland Australia, Tasmania and New
Guinea), which were only separated by rising sea levels approximately 8000
years ago, likely shared some aspects of a common history over a period of
perhaps as much as 50,000 years. It would seem unlikely that this shared
community of culture and ideas would have ended abruptly with the rise in sea
level. Early commentators, operating within social evolutionism and diffusionism
frameworks, argued that much of Aboriginal culture was developed through
external contact since Aboriginal culture was too ‘primitive’ to have developed
higher level cultural traits. Subsequent reaction to this negative view has tended
to limit further enquiry. More recently, it has been recognised that
transformations occurred in Aboriginal societies across Australia particularly in
the mid to late Holocene which have been attributed to population growth and
internal social change (‘intensification’), environmental change and/or external
contacts. This paper reviews evidence for external culture contact with an
emphasis on the Queensland coast via the Torres Strait and Cape York. It is
apparent that contact did occur though the timing and extent of impacts on the
development of Aboriginal culture has yet to be fully understood. It is important
to periodically review what innovations might have reached Australia from
external sources (and vice versa) as new evidence and theories develop. This will
enhance an understanding of how Aboriginal peoples coped with and adapted to
the substantive transformative processes of the contact and post-contact eras
which is the theme of this volume.

The full article is available here.

Sunday, 24 February 2019

Muluridji People #3 Native Title Claim

National Native Title Tribunal File QC2018/006 available here entered on the Register 15/02/2019.

The claim area is west of and adjoins the Hann Tableland National Park in Far North Queensland.

The attachments are as follows :-
Register extract available here
Attachment B - Map showing External Boundary Description here
Attachment C - Map of the Application Area here

The Muluridji People are descended by birth or adoption from the following ancestors:

Billy and Kitty (parents of Jimmy Riley);
Mick Fraser/Brazier and his wife Kitty (parents of Rosie Frazier);
George Baker (father of Nellie, Lucy, Willie and Lulu Baker);
Mick Sheppard (father of Johnny, Violet, May, Willie, Stanley, Ronnie and Millie Sheppard);
Annie Green (mother of Jack and Arthur Madigan and Tom King);
Dolly Hughes (mother of Jessie and Thelma Hughes).



Thursday, 14 February 2019

Reveille - August 31, 1931 - AIF Aborigines : How Many?

I was going through some Reveille magazines that were inherited when my grandmother died years ago. The article titled A.I.F Aborigines : How Many appeared in the issue of August 31, 1931. A link to a copy of the article is here.

A second article titled Lever on Britain : Prisioners Suffer appeared in the December 31, 1931 issue of Reveille and refers to Douglas Grant. The article is available here.

Mardigan People Native Title Authorisation Meeting


The claim area is roughly centred around Quilpie, Queensland.

The Mardigan People who are members of the native title claim group for the Application are currently described as the biological descendants of the following people:

Charlie Zouch;
Mother of Fred Collins, Jesse Dixon, Jack Dixon, Nancy Colin and Tom Napoleon
Charlotte Wandilla
Mary Darrie
Henry Clive (also known as Harry Clive)
Mary Rebel
Judie and Tinker Wells
Paddy Murphy
Tommy Conbar
Henry ‘Goodyenee’ Tilbooroo
Nellie Ardock

The purpose of Authorisation Meeting #1 is to:
(1) Consider anthropological materials and legal advice relating to an individual described as ‘Jenny, mother of James Pegler’ and her descendants;
(2) Subject to (1) above, authorise the amendment of the claim group description for the Application to include the descendants of Jenny, mother of James Pegler.
Appeared in the Koori Mail dated February13, 2019

Notes

Nancy Pegler H/C was residing in Cunnamulla with her husband James Pegler H/C, Station worker, and two children in 1941.

Nita Pegler died at Tinapagie Stn, N.S.W. on 27. 7.1935 

Ward, Mayneside - Letter (21.12.1911) to Mr J Payne, MLA regarding working conditions, agreements and wages of Aboriginals which he notes 'is little better than slavery'.
Attached to this letter are two lists, one being a List of Halfcastes. Among the Names mentioned is Jimmy Pegler (of Thargomindah).

Wednesday, 13 February 2019

NNTT Kabi Kabi First Nation Traditional Owners Native Title Claim Group


National Native Title Tribunal File QC2018/007available here entered on the Register 08/02/2019.

The attachments are as follows :-
Register extract available here
Attachment B - Map showing External Boundary Description here
Attachment C - Map of the Application Area here

The claim area is roughly bounded by Childers, Kilkivan, Nanango, Caboolture, Noosa Heads and Maryborough.

The Kabi Kabi First Nation Traditional Owners are those people:

(a) Who are descendants of the following apical ancestors:
1 . Maggie Cadenti/Cadente/Cantidi: “Maggie”
2.  George Parson
3.  Albert Williams
4.  Ngimburum
5.  Kaloma-kuta/Galmaguda/Haloma-kuta/Kal-ma-kuta
6.  Mother of Albert Smith and Peter Graham
7.  Willie Kina
8.  Susan Andy
9.  Jacky Ball (or Baul)
10. Maggie Cain/Caine
11. James Crow/Crowe
12. Maggie Palmer
13. Emma Dunne
14. William/Billy Glenbar
15. Annie Laurie
16. May Burnett
17. Tuppernywoe/”King” Tommy of Noosa
18. Dundalli
19. Cob
20. Sarah Di:naba Moreton
21. Marian/Mary Ann Thompson
22. Dil:l
23. Edward Ross
24. Menvil Wanmuarn/Jackie Delaney
And

(b) Who identify as and are recognised as members of the Kabi Kabi First Nation Traditional Owners in accordance with the system of traditional laws and customs.

Wednesday, 6 February 2019

More Books with Genealogical Information

The following books contain a wealth of genealogical information.

Of Marriage, Violence and Sorcery by David McKnight published 2005
Contains numerous sections of genealogical charts of people from Mornington Island  and descriptions of events and the people involved. Some pseudonyms are used but most names are the correct ones. I have checked this with other records.

The Affinal Relationship System by Aslaug and Johannes Falkenberg published 1981
Contains eight pages of Aborigines From Port Keats mentioned in the text as follows
Personal Name, Own Tribe, Own Local Clan, Mother's Tribe, Mother's Local Clan (Kangatji), Page in the Text.

Lives of the Papunya Tula Artists by Vivien Johnson published 2008
Contains detailed genealogical information of the artists and their families.

The Wind of Change in Central Australia by Frederick G G Rose published 1965
Contains detailed genealogical information for Aborigines at Angas Downs Station N.T. in 1962

Classification of Kin, Age Structure and Marriage amongst the Groote Eylandt Aborigines
by Frederick G G Rose published 1960
Contains detailed genealogical information for Aborigines at Groote Eylandt

Friday, 1 February 2019

VICNET May 2012

 

This was the VICNET Home page in May 2012 just before the change over.

I vaguely remember 45053 refers to the number of times the site was accessed and not the number of times pages were accessed.

Just placed here for historical reasons.